If your loved one's death occurs in a healthcare facility such as a hospital or nursing home the staff there will advise you on what to do.  If the death occurs in another location whether it is an accidental death or a death from natural causes chances are that emergency services and personnel have been called.  They will offer guidance about what steps you need to take.  If you are ever in doubt or do not understand what to do, call your funeral director or if you're unsure of which one you're going to use, call the person's doctor if you know who that is. If you don't, even a call to your own should give you some valuable direction.   

If your loved one's death occurs at home, there are a couple of things to consider.  Was the death expected or sudden?  If the person was ill, ask his or her physician what you should do when the death occurs.  If the person is under hospice care, they will tell you what to do. Hospice staff almost always will tell you to call them if they are not there when the death occurs.  They then will either call the funeral home or advise you to do so.  If you have any doubt about what to do, call your physican.

If the death is unexpected you might instinctively call 911.  In that instance the police and ambulance will respond.  Depending on the circumstances, they may be required to perform any life-saving measures including transport to the hospital, or they may contact the coroner's or medical examiner's office. If they determine that further investigation is necessary, the person's body will be taken by them for further examination. If you live in an area where there is a coroner, it will probably be taken to a local hospital; if you live in an area where there's a medical examiner, the body will be taken to their offices. If however they determine that there is no need for further examination of the person's body, they will offer to call the funeral home to come take the person's body into their care at the funeral home. 

If you're unsure about what to do, call your physician for information about what to do according to your specific situation.